Other Oral Problems

Find information about other dental problems such as bad breath, tonsil troubles, canker sores, and more.

Bad Breath
1. Changing Bad Breath Bad breath is often caused by a buildup of bacteria in your mouth that causes inflammation and gives off noxious odors or gases that smell like sulfur -- or worse.
2. Bad Breath (Halitosis) Bad breath, medically called halitosis, can result from poor dental health habits and may be a sign of other health problems.
3. Quiz: Do You Know What Causes Your Bad Breath? Do you know what causes your bad breath? WebMD quizzes you about bad breath, its causes and prevention, good dental hygiene, and diseases that give you bad breath.
Dry Mouth
1. Dry Mouth Overview We all need saliva to moisten and cleanse our mouths and digest food. Saliva also prevents infection by controlling bacteria and fungi in the mouth. When we don't produce enough saliva, our mouth gets dry and uncomfortable.
2. Dry Mouth and Other Side Effects of Medications All drugs, whether taken by mouth or injected, come with a risk of side effects. Learn which medications might cause oral side effects, such as dry mouth, metallic taste, bleeding, and swelling.
3. Slideshow: Dry Mouth: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment Dry mouth is more than just feeling thirsty. It affects your overall health. WebMD looks at the causes and symptoms of dry mouth, plus ways to treat it.
Your Throat, Tonsils, and Glands
1. Salivary Gland Problems Your salivary glands produce as much as a quart of saliva each day. Saliva is important to lubricate your mouth, help with swallowing, protect your teeth against bacteria, and aid in the digestion of food.
2. Salivary Gland Stones A salivary gland stone -- also called salivary duct stone, salivary calculus, or sialolith -- is a calcified structure that may form inside a salivary gland or duct and can block the flow of saliva into the mouth.
3. Tonsil Stones (Tonsilloliths) Your tonsils are filled with nooks and crannies where bacteria and other materials, including dead cells and mucous, can become trapped. When this occurs, the debris can become concentrated in white formations that occur in the pockets.
4. Tonsillitis: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments Sometimes the tonsils become infected. Overwhelmed by bacteria or viruses, they swell and become inflamed, a condition known as tonsillitis.
5. Peritonsillar Abscess A peritonsillar abscess forms in the tissues of the throat next to one of the tonsils. An abscess is a collection of pus that forms near an area of infected skin or other soft tissue.
6. Is Your Sore Throat a Cold, Strep Throat, or Tonsillitis? Wonder if your painful sore throat is from a cold, strep throat, or tonsillitis? Here's help with how to tell.
Tongue and Lip Problems
1. Canker Sores The exact cause of most canker sores is unknown. Stress or tissue injury is thought to be the cause of simple canker sores.
2. Cold Sores Cold sores -- also called fever blisters -- are a painful infection caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV).
3. Dental Health and Leukoplakia What is leukoplakia what does it have to do with your oral health? Find out more.
4. Tongue Problem Basics Because you use your tongue constantly, it can be frustrating and uncomfortable when you experience tongue problems, including discoloration and soreness. Read more about tongue problems.
5. Fissured Tongue WebMD explains what fissured tongue is, what causes it, and how it's treated.
6. Black Hairy Tongue The name black hairy tongue may sound scary, but the condition is harmless. Learn about the symptoms and causes.
7. Geographic Tongue WebMD provides information on geographic tongue, including symptoms, treatments, and causes.
8. Thrush Thrush can affect anyone, though it occurs most often in babies and toddlers, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems.
9. Cleft Lip and Cleft Palate Clefting results when there is not enough tissue in the mouth or lip area, and the tissue that is available does not join together properly.
10. Mucocele Mucoceles often show up on the inside of your lower lips, your gums, the roof of your mouth, or under your tongue.
11. Stomatitis WebMD discusses stomatitis, a condition causing oral inflammation, and its symptoms, causes, and treatment.
Jaw Problems
1. Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD) Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) occur as a result of problems with the jaw, jaw joint and surrounding facial muscles that control chewing and moving the jaw. These disorders are often incorrectly called TMJ, which stands for temporomandibular joint.
2. Video: What's TMJ? What is TMJ, and how is it treated? Get the basics on this painful jaw condition.
3. Broken Jaw A broken jaw (or mandibular fracture) is a common facial injury. Learn when to seek medical care and how a broken jaw is treated.
Oral and Throat Cancer
1. Oral Cancer Oral cancer, which includes cancers of the lips, tongue, cheeks, floor of the mouth, hard and soft palate, sinuses, and pharynx (throat), can be life threatening if not diagnosed and treated early.
2. Throat Cancer Symptoms and Risk Factors Cancers of the throat tend to grow quickly. Learn as much as you can so you’ll know what to expect.
3. Oral HPV and Cancer What’s the link between the virus and head and neck cancers? Know the basics and protect yourself.

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